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09 Oct 2020

In the UK, we are well known for our in-depth legal system.

However, with an in-depth legal system comes complication and, if you are not well versed in any legal areas, a great deal of confusion.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of an accusation linked to criminal activity, you may feel tempted to try and defend your own rights to prevent paying for legal representation. However, this is not advised and may actually cause you more issues in the long-run. Criminal law in the UK is extremely complex and should not be handled without the required expertise and training. After all, you wouldn’t build a car from scratch, so when it comes to defending your rights, you need someone qualified to build your case!

At ABV, our criminal solicitor team are qualified, experienced and dedicated to proving your innocence and defending your case. Regardless of the accusation or charge, we will work to build your defence providing you with legal advice and liaising with the authorities involved. We have helped thousands of people win their cases against criminal accusations and could help you too.

So, as an overview, what are some of the criminal areas our criminal solicitor can cover? Read on to find out.

What is criminal law?

In simple terms, UK criminal law covers all aspects of behaviours and acts that are considered morally wrong by society. The aim of punishment for committing these crimes is to ensure that the person found guilty of such crimes feels remorse and that punishment is given out based on the proportion of the crime. As you can see, this is quite vague and is the very reason why you will need the help of our criminal solicitor.

Defining categories

Depending on the seriousness of your offence, your case will be put to either a magistrates court or a crown court. If you are charged with an offence, either way you will need to appear before the magistrates court first, so it can be decided if your case needs a trial. In this guide, we will use the court process to define the different areas of criminal activity.

Magistrates Court

If you have been charged with a crime such as burglary, theft, possession of drugs, possession with intent to supply drugs, affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, then it is likely that your case will first go through the magistrates court for its severity to be decided.

Depending on other factors, such as harm to others that may have occurred, your case may be moved to the crown court.

Crown Court

More serious crimes, known as indictable crimes are handled in a crown court by a judge. If your case is sent to trial through the crown court, a jury will be required to decide whether you are innocent or guilty of the crime that you have been accused of. Examples of indictable crimes in the UK include murder, robbery, manslaughter and rape.